Oregon Department of TransportationNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Oregon Department of TransportationMon, 15 Aug 2016 03:40:58 +0000Oregon Department of Transportationhttp://klcc.org
Kira Hoffelmeyer Starting Sunday (August 14), driving west to the coast from Corvallis on Highway 20 will be limited. KLCC’s Kira Hoffelmeyer has more on how to reroute your travels. Highway 20 Experiences Closures West And East Of Corvallishttp://klcc.org/post/highway-20-experiences-closures-west-and-east-corvallis
55228 as http://klcc.orgFri, 12 Aug 2016 20:58:16 +0000Highway 20 Experiences Closures West And East Of CorvallisAnni KatzIt's been a wet winter but not very cold. Oregon Department of Transportation says studded tires must be removed by Thursday, March 31st. Studded Tires Must Be Removed by March 31sthttp://klcc.org/post/studded-tires-must-be-removed-march-31st
48633 as http://klcc.orgFri, 25 Mar 2016 19:09:15 +0000Studded Tires Must Be Removed by March 31stDesmond O'BoyleA Freezing Rain Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for all Southwest Oregon counties from tonight through late tomorrow morning. Winter Weather Forecast Thru Mondayhttp://klcc.org/post/winter-weather-forecast-thru-monday
44719 as http://klcc.orgSun, 03 Jan 2016 14:51:13 +0000Winter Weather Forecast Thru MondayDesmond O'BoyleThe National Weather Service is predicting rain and a drop in temperatures this weekend in Oregon. The "Pineapple Express" weather pattern is a subtropical moisture pocket that follows the jet stream, and many times, ends up hitting the northwest. Clinton Rocky is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland. He says snow isn't likely in the high country Friday or Saturday, but… Rocky: "It looks like, at this point in time, snow levels will be down around 5,000 feet by late Sunday afternoon, so we finally will start seeing some sticking snow's in the higher peaks. And Sunday night and Monday, we're going to be cool enough, and the snow level is down low, so we could be seeing some minor accumulations on Santiam and Willamette Pass." The Oregon Department of Transportation recommends getting your car ready for winter by checking your wiper blades, tires, and defrosters. Motorists traveling the Cascades are advised to carry chains. copyright, 2015 KLCC Heavy Rain Expected This Halloween Weekend. http://klcc.org/post/heavy-rain-expected-halloween-weekend
41776 as http://klcc.orgFri, 30 Oct 2015 23:28:03 +0000Heavy Rain Expected This Halloween Weekend. Desmond O'BoyleOregon's bridges need to be reinforced and updated in the next 20 years; otherwise, the Department of Transportation warns the state will lose billions of dollars and jobs. Oregon's highway system contains more than 2,700 bridges, and most of them were built in the 1950's and 60's. ODOT Spokesman Tom Fuller says in order to keep all of Oregon's bridges in good shape; they need to replace around 27 a year. Fuller: "But we have funding to only replace three." Fuller says legislative leaders will have some tough decisions to make to get funding to fix the state's bridges, but he thinks most of them agree the problem needs a solution. Fuller: "How do you pay for that? It's going to cost, it's going to come out of the pocket books of Oregonians, do we raise a gas tax, do we use a road usage charge, do we increase vehicle registration fees, these are all possibilities that lawmakers are going to have to weigh." The 2015 Bridge Condition Report encourages strategic investment to repair andOregon's Bridges Need Strategic Investment To Protect Economyhttp://klcc.org/post/oregons-bridges-need-strategic-investment-protect-economy
39790 as http://klcc.orgMon, 21 Sep 2015 17:51:42 +0000Oregon's Bridges Need Strategic Investment To Protect EconomyKaren RichardsThis week is spring break for all the major universities and school districts in Oregon. With that in mind, officials are urging drivers to be extra cautious. In addition to in-state vacationers, roads may be swelled by travelers from California, which also has many schools on break. Shelley Snow is with the Oregon Department of Transportation. She says the Fourth of July is the most deadly time on the roads, but drivers shouldn’t be complacent this time of year: Snow: “People need to step it up a notch in terms of paying attention and being alert. People are going to take the opportunity to be out and about, maybe at levels that they might not have been in the last couple of months. So I think the best thing is to be on the lookout for each other.” Snow says State Police will be paying special attention to distracted drivers and people traveling too fast for road conditions. She also cautions drivers to be on the lookout for increased bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Officials Urge Driver Awareness For Spring Breakhttp://klcc.org/post/officials-urge-driver-awareness-spring-break
30772 as http://klcc.orgSat, 21 Mar 2015 13:00:00 +0000Officials Urge Driver Awareness For Spring BreakAngela Kellner Oregon State Police are continuing the investigation into Wednesday morning's fatal traffic crash in Westfir near Oakridge.Police say a Honda Accord, driven by 66-year-old Jerry Lossing, of Oakridge, was traveling eastbound on West Oak Road when it failed to negotiate a curve and went into the oncoming lane of travel. His car collided head-on with a Toyota Rav-4, driven by 68-year-old Kathleen Camerer, also of Oakridge. Lossing was pronounced deceased by medics at the scene. Preliminary information indicates Lossing was not using his seat belt. Camerer was taken to a Eugene area hospital with injuries. OSP was assisted at the scene by the Oakridge Police Department, Westfir Volunteer Fire Department and Oakridge Fire Department. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), a statewide observation survey in June 2014 found 98% percent of Oregon's motoring public routinely using safety belts. However, ODOT crash data reveals a belt use rate of only 62% among those killedOakridge Man Killed In Head-On Crashhttp://klcc.org/post/oakridge-man-killed-head-crash
29245 as http://klcc.orgThu, 19 Feb 2015 01:29:08 +0000Oakridge Man Killed In Head-On CrashCorinne BoyerWhale Cove on the central coast is now a protected part of the Oregon Island National Wildlife Refuge. A deal between the property owners and government and non-profit organizations was reached to safeguard marine life and its ecology. Before Whale Cove was protected, several proposals were made to develop the land. Bryce and Beebe Buchanan purchased the property hoping to conserve it. They sold it for nearly half its value so federal funding and grants could be used for the deal. Dawn Harris with the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge complex says the protection of Whale Cove is significant. Harris: “It’s really important especially for the sea birds because these birds these birds nest on land on the ground and are very vulnerable to disturbance. And that could be from predators like raccoons or coyotes.” The 14 acre property is home to sea birds, harbor seals and enjoys occasional visits from Orcas and Gray Whales. A few bald eagles nest and are seen regularly. People travelingWhale Cove Becomes Protected Wildlife Refugehttp://klcc.org/post/whale-cove-becomes-protected-wildlife-refuge
27824 as http://klcc.orgThu, 22 Jan 2015 19:24:41 +0000Whale Cove Becomes Protected Wildlife RefugeTiffany EckertEarlier this month, a portion of roadway collapsed-- 12 miles north of Florence. Traffic continues to be limited to one lane with delays of up to 20 minutes. Today (Monday), The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) began installing a traffic signal to replace a pilot car and get vehicles through quicker. Highway 101 along the Oregon Coastal Range is known as “landslide country.” The road collapse happened when water pressure built up in an existing active slide. The sunken roadway has led to weeks of traffic holdups as contractors stabilize and repave the segment. Rick Little is with ODOT. He says a traffic signal will reduce the wait to 3 to 6 minutes. “The stretch that we have a single lane of traffic in is about 500 feet long. And the good news is that in this location, you can stand at one signal and look down at the other signal and see it clearly so there’s no obstruction to the site distance.” Little expects the repairs to take another month. With so much rainfall alongNew Traffic Signal Installed Where Landslide Damaged Road http://klcc.org/post/new-traffic-signal-installed-where-landslide-damaged-road
26613 as http://klcc.orgMon, 29 Dec 2014 22:23:40 +0000New Traffic Signal Installed Where Landslide Damaged Road Desmond O'Boyle One lane of Highway 101 is open for travel approximately 12 miles North of Florence in Lane County. The lane closure is a result of damage to a retaining wall and the road due to heavy rain over the weekend. The Oregon Department of Transportation is working on the highway, there is no timetable for completed repairs or when the highway will be fully re-opened. copyright, 2014 KLCC Officials Re-open One Lane On Highway 101http://klcc.org/post/officials-re-open-one-lane-highway-101
26231 as http://klcc.orgSun, 21 Dec 2014 16:29:19 +0000Officials Re-open One Lane On Highway 101Angela Kellner After two fatal crossover crashes on Interstate 5 in the past month, the State of Oregon is expediting a plan to add cable barriers to the unprotected medians. Two people were killed September 24 in a crossover freeway crash in Salem. On October 23, a woman was killed north of Albany when her vehicle went across the grassy median, hitting a semi-truck. This prompted Oregon's Governor, John Kitzhaber and the Director of the Oregon Department of Transportation, Matthew Garrett, to call for an emergency bidding process to erect cable barriers along more than 40 miles of I-5. ODOT Communications Director Tom Fuller says they had planned to put out bids for the projects in February 2015, but that has been moved up to this week. Fuller: "This will really allow us to close up an area that we've been wanting to do for several years and just didn't have the funding. Recently, funding became available and we started planning the projects, which is a good thing because those plans are now at aAfter 2 Fatal Crossover Crashes, Oregon Expedites I-5 Cable Barrier Projecthttp://klcc.org/post/after-2-fatal-crossover-crashes-oregon-expedites-i-5-cable-barrier-project
23170 as http://klcc.orgSun, 26 Oct 2014 15:41:00 +0000After 2 Fatal Crossover Crashes, Oregon Expedites I-5 Cable Barrier ProjectDesmond O'BoyleOregon’s highway system has about 35 thousand culverts built in to allow safe passage for fish. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, about one third of those are in poor condition and need to be replaced. But funding those repairs has become difficult as ODOT’s budget continues to experience shortfalls. An agreement between ODOT and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife could be a solution. State law requires project owners, including ODOT, to make culverts fish friendly. A proposed three year pilot project would allow ODOT to perform repairs without requiring full fish passage compliance. It also requires ODOT to pay 1.8 million dollars into an ODFW-managed account that would fund fish passage projects in the future. Greg Apke is the ODFW Fish Passage Program Leader. He says this proposal is the result of two years of negotiations between the two departments and that’s why they are vetting it publically. Apke: “We want to make sure folks understand the dilemmasDecaying Fish Culverts Could Be Fixed With Agreement Between Departmentshttp://klcc.org/post/decaying-fish-culverts-could-be-fixed-agreement-between-departments
19075 as http://klcc.orgFri, 08 Aug 2014 22:30:23 +0000Decaying Fish Culverts Could Be Fixed With Agreement Between DepartmentsDesmond O'BoyleYesterday's (Friday's) winter storm kept The Oregon Department of Transportation busy. Snowy and Icy conditions caused multiple fender benders and some crashes. An overturned semi-truck with multiple trailers delayed drivers for hours on Highway 126 near Mapleton. And a chain requirement was issued for multiple sections of I-5. O-D-O-T Spokesman Rick Little says freezing temperatures will keep the snow pack on the ground thru the weekend. Little: "That snow then gets packed down by the motorists as they drive. Even if we plow it, the residual snow that falls after we've plowed gets packed. And eventually you get a pretty good, an inch or so, of snow pack built up. This, with low temperatures, is harder to break up and get rid of than with higher temperatures." Little says O-D-O-T will focus their efforts on keeping I-5 clear over the weekend. He says applying salt to roadways and sidewalks is an effective way of removing ice and hard snow pack. copyright, 2013 KLCC Cold Temperatures Will Keep Snow On Roadshttp://klcc.org/post/cold-temperatures-will-keep-snow-roads
4343 as http://klcc.orgSat, 07 Dec 2013 17:30:04 +0000Cold Temperatures Will Keep Snow On Roads